Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluating Fidelity To A Modified Niatx Process Improvement Strategy For Improving Hiv Services In Correctional Facilities, Jennifer Pankow, Jennifer Willett, Yang Yang, Holly Swan, Richard Dembo, William M. Burdon, Yvonne Patterson, Frank S. Pearson, Steven Belenko, Linda K. Frisman

Criminology Faculty Publications

In a study aimed at improving the quality of HIV services for inmates, an organizational process improvement strategy using change teams was tested in 14 correctional facilities in 8 US states and Puerto Rico. Data to examine fidelity to the process improvement strategy consisted of quantitative ratings of the structural and process components of the strategy and qualitative notes that explicate challenges in maintaining fidelity to the strategy. Fidelity challenges included (1) lack of communication and leadership within change teams, (2) instability in team membership, and (3) issues with data utilization in decision-making to implement improvements to services delivery.

Serious Mental Illness Among Young Adult Women Who Use Drugs In The Club Scene: Co-Occurring Biopsychosocial Factors, Maayan Lawental, Hilary L. Surratt, Mance E. Buttram, Steven P. Kurtz

Community and Family Health Faculty Publications

Young women who regularly attend nightclubs are at risk for numerous health and social consequences, including mental distress, sexual and physical victimization and substance dependence. This paper uses a biopsychosocial framework to examine co-occurring mental health problems, victimization, substance dependence, sexual risk and physical pain among a sample of young women who use drugs (N = 222) in Miami’s club scene. The majority of women were under 24 years old, Hispanic, and identified as heterosexual. Almost all the women reported past 90-day use of alcohol, ecstasy/MDMA, marijuana, cocaine and prescription opioids and benzodiazepines; 32% of women reported being in a …

Characterization Of Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria Isolates In A National Mycobacterial Laboratory In Panama:, Sofia Zavala, Samantha Rosas, Arlene Calvo, Nestor Sosa, German Henostroza, Ana Belen Arauz Rodriguez

Community and Family Health Faculty Publications

Background: Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are becoming more frequently isolated in microbiology laboratories. There is no standardized diagnosis, treatment, and/or monitoring of patients with NTM disease. We described the experience of the Panama National Mycobacterial Laboratory in isolating NTM in patients suspected to have active tuberculosis in Panama. Methods: Data registries of the National TB Program Laboratory of Panama between 2012 and 2015 were reviewed. Demographic information, relevant history, sample source, and isolate identified for each specimen obtained at the time of specimen submission was extracted. Identification of mycobacterial species were made using culture and PCR. Data were exported to an …

The Opioid Epidemic And Rural American: Why The Usda Should Lead The Response, Lexy Gross

Kentucky Journal of Equine, Agriculture, & Natural Resources Law

No abstract provided.

Nitazoxanide Inhibits Paramyxovirus Replication By Targeting The Fusion Protein Folding: Role Of Glycoprotein-Specific Thiol Oxidoreductase Erp57, Sara Piacentini, Simone La Frazia, Anna Riccio, Jens Z. Pederson, Alessandra Topai, Orazio Nicolotti, Jean-Francois Rossignol, M. G. Santoro

Epidemiology and Biostatistics Faculty Publications

Paramyxoviridae, a large family of enveloped viruses harboring a nonsegmented negative-sense RNA genome, include important human pathogens as measles, mumps, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), parainfluenza viruses, and henipaviruses, which cause some of the deadliest emerging zoonoses. There is no effective antiviral chemotherapy for most of these pathogens. Paramyxoviruses evolved a sophisticated membrane-fusion machine consisting of receptor-binding proteins and the fusion F-protein, critical for virus infectivity. Herein we identify the antiprotozoal/antimicrobial nitazoxanide as a potential anti-paramyxovirus drug targeting the F-protein. We show that nitazoxanide and its circulating-metabolite tizoxanide act at post-entry level by provoking Sendai virus and RSV F-protein aggregate …

The Case For Streamlining Emergency Declaration Authorities And Adapting Legal Requirements To Ever-Changing Public Health Threats, Gregory Sunshine

Emory Law Journal

This Article makes the case for streamlining emergency declaration authority and creating an adaptable legal system. Part I describes the utility of emergency declarations, but gives examples of how that utility can be diminished when states divide specific emergency powers across various types of declarations. Part II explores gubernatorial emergency powers to suspend or waive laws as an adaptable solution for removing legal barriers to an efficient and effective emergency response. These arguments demonstrate that a streamlined and adaptable state legal system for emergency response is one that (1) provides a governor with the authority to issue one type of …

Nanotechnology Considerations For Poultry And Livestock Production Systems - A Review, Mohamed I. El Sabry, Kenneth W. Mcmillin, Cristina M. Sabliov

Faculty Publications

© 2018 by Mohamed I. El Sabry. The global animal productivity should proportionally increase to meet the food needs of a growing population. This article presents an overview of the current and promising nano-applications in poultry and livestock production systems that could offer opportunities for improved efficiencies and productivity. Some basic information on nanotechnology and the economics of nanotechnology is provided. Poultry and animal production systems, current situation and available tools and techniques are presented in parallel with animal health care, animal nutrition, animal shetter and food processing nano-applications and their advantages. These applications are directly or indirectly related to …

Structural Stress And Otherness: How Do They Influence Psychological Stress?, Christine Dewilde

Theses and Dissertations

Background: The Theory of Cultural Distress offers a framework for understanding the potential outcomes in patients who do not receive care that incorporates their cultural beliefs (DeWilde & Burton, 2017).This study represents initial steps in researching the theory byexploring the layering of stressors that place the patient at risk for Cultural Distress. Methods: Utilized aCross-sectional descriptive correlational analysis of intersecting identities (Structural Stressors), ethnicity-related stressors (Otherness) and ethnic-identity (Otherness) to develop understanding of the potential effects of these variables on psychological stress. Independent variables included intersecting identities, perceived ethnic discrimination, concern for stereotype confirmation, own group conformity pressure, and …

Midwest Pharmacists' Familiarity, Experience, And Willingness To Provide Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (Prep) For Hiv, Jordan M. Broekhuis, Kimberly K. Scarsi, Harlan R. Sayles, Donald G. Klepser, Joshua P. Havens, Susan Swindells, Sara H. Bares

Journal Articles: Internal Medicine

INTRODUCTION: Pharmacist provision of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) through collaborative practice agreements with physicians could expand access to people at risk for HIV. We characterized pharmacists' familiarity with and willingness to provide PrEP services in Nebraska and Iowa.

METHODS: An invitation to complete an 18-question survey was emailed to 1,140 pharmacists in Nebraska and Iowa in June and July of 2016. Descriptive analyses and Pearson chi-square tests were used to determine to what extent demographics, familiarity and experience were associated with respondent willingness to provide PrEP. Wilcoxon rank-sum tests compared ages and years of experience between groups of respondents.

RESULTS: One …

The International Right To Health Care: A Legal And Moral Defense, Michael Da Silva

Michigan Journal of International Law

In the following, I outline the case against the international right to health care and explain why recognition of such a right is still necessary. The argument is explicitly limited to international human rights law and is primarily descriptive in nature, but I go on to explain the moral reasons to accept this account. Both the positive law and moral reasoning could be used in other health rights debates, but I do not attempt to make such claims here.

The structure of my work is as follows. I first outline three problems with recognizing an international right to health care. …

Mindfulness And Multiple Sclerosis, Mandakini Sadhir

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, debilitating autoimmune condition with unknown etiology. It can have significant impact on quality of life and overall sense of wellbeing. It can be associated with poor sleep, fatigue, mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression and affect interpersonal relationships. Impact of mindfulness based interventions in mental health conditions, chronic illness as well as multiple sclerosis in adults has been widely studied. Several studies have concluded that mindfulness based intervention can be beneficial in improving quality of life, mental health and physical symptoms such as fatigue in adult patients with multiple sclerosis. Current literature suggest that …

Educating Preoperative Staff On Operative Glycemic Control Guideline, Valerie Braddock

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Glycemic control of the perioperative patient improves patient outcomes, specifically prevention of surgical-site infections. The prevention of surgical-site infections helps to reduce complications that can increase length of stay and readmissions, thereby increasing healthcare costs. The purpose of this project was to provide an educational module to the same-day surgery nurses on a clinical guideline to maintain glycemic control of the perioperative patient to prevent surgical-site infections. Lewin's change theory guided the development of a clinical practice guideline (CPG) for nurses to standardize the glycemic management of the perioperative patient. This project was conducted to determine whether educating nurses through …

Education Plan To Empower Wound Care Nurses For Evidence-Based Practice, Patricia Stevenson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Non-healing wounds can claim thousands of lives and costs billions of dollars each year, and nurse-led wound clinics are becoming necessary to fill a gap in care for patients with wounds. Even among certified wound nurses using evidence-based clinical protocols, key considerations of care are being missed. Therefore, this project was focused on developing and validating a new biofilm education module for certified or certification eligible wound care nurses. The aim of the module was to boost clinical assessment knowledge and improve patient outcomes. Benners skill acquisition model informed the development of this project. The design of the project also …

Comparison Of Malaria Control Interventions In Southern Africa, Ferdinand Nsengimana

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is lack of evidence on which of the two highly recommended malaria prevention methods, insecticide treated bednets and indoor residual spraying, is more effective than the other. There is also limited peer reviewed literature that compares the characteristics of people who use the two malaria prevention methods. Based on the Health Belief Model, the research questions tested whether there is any relationship between the use of mosquito bednet or the use of indoor residual spraying and contracting malaria, and whether there is any relationship between sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors and the use of malaria prevention methods. Using a quantitative …

Improving Hand Hygiene In An Intensive Care Unit, Charles Chukwuemeka Njenje

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health-care-associated infections (HCAIs) affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide, causing morbidity and mortality among hospitalized patients. About 2 million patients suffer from HCAIs in the United States, and it is estimated that 99,000 of them die each year. Studies have indicated that transmission of health-care-associated microorganisms occurs through contaminated hands of health care workers. Hand hygiene (HH) is the single most effective way to prevent health-care-associated infections, yet health care workers' hand hygiene compliance remains low. One factor responsible for poor compliance with hand hygiene guide-lines are lack of knowledge of good hand hygiene and lack of hand hygiene …

Novel Anti-Obesity Effects Of Beer Hops Compound Xanthohumol: Role Of Ampk Signaling Pathway, Janaiya S Samuels, Rangaiah Shashidharamurthy, Srujana Rayalam

PCOM Scholarly Works

Background: Obesity alters adipose tissue metabolic and endocrine functioning, leading to an increased adiposity and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Various phytochemicals have been reported to contribute to the beiging of white adipose tissue in order to ameliorate obesity by increasing thermogenesis. Here, we show that the prenylated chalcone, xanthohumol (XN), induces beiging of white adipocytes, stimulates lipolysis, and inhibits adipogenesis of murine 3T3-L1 adipocytes and primary human subcutaneous preadipocytes and these effects are partly mediated by the activation of the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway.

Methods: 3T3-L1 adipocytes and primary human subcutaneous preadipocytes were differentiated using a standard protocol …

Adolescent Medicine Trials Network For Hiv/Aids Interventions Data Harmonization: Rationale And Development Of Guidelines, Micah Mccumber, Demetria Cain, Sara Legrand, Kenneth H. Mayer, Debra A. Murphy, Matthew A. Psioda, Arlene C. Seña, Tyrel J. Starks, Michael Hudgens

Publications and Research

Background: The Adolescent Medicine Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Interventions (ATN) research program aims to defeat the rising HIV epidemic among adolescents and young adults in the United States.

Objective: This study aims to optimize cross-study analyses and comparisons of standardized measures (variables) collected in the ATN. Methods: Guidelines were developed for harmonizing measures to be collected across ATN studies.

Results: Eight domains were identified for harmonization—Demographics and Socioeconomic Characteristics, Sexual Behavior and Risk, Substance Use and Abuse, HIV-Positive Cascade, HIV-Negative Cascade, Mental Health, Social Support and Isolation, and Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Cascade.

Conclusions: The collection of selected key measures in a …

Examining Nursing Practices For Management Of Sepsis In Low Income Countries: The Case Of Uganda, Cliff Aliga, Judith Mutyabule, Grace Nakate, Abigail Emelonye

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Examining nursing practice guidelines to improve quality of care for patients with sepsis in low income countries is required.

A large amount of information about best practice standards in sepsis management is available for healthcare professionals; however, implementation and adherence to practice guidelines recommended by the Surviving Sepsis Campaign remains low in low income countries.

A formal scope of practice for nursing and midwifery as a professional guideline is absent and national clinical guideline for Uganda remains unclear regarding the specific management of sepsis.

Inadequate documentation of patient care in Uganda makes sepsis cases difficult to be early detected.

Research …

Nursing And Midwifery Research Output In Africa: A Review Of The Literature, Rose Chalo Nabirye, Alison Annet Kinengyere, Grace Edwards

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background: Nurses and midwives form the backbone of health service delivery and satisfaction with care often depends on the competencies of nurses and midwives who provide the care (World Health Organization [WHO], 2002). Healthcare has become complex, challenging, and demanding across diverse sociocultural and socioeconomic changes and environments. To optimize their impact, nurses and midwives therefore need to be prepared with evidence-based competences. Nursing research therefore, is the cornerstone for evidence-based practice and for establishing the professional status of nursing and building research capacity. However, although nursing research began in the 19th century, it is limited in Africa, with little …

Nevada Desert Dust With Heavy Metals Suppresses Igm Antibody Production, Deborah E. Keil, Brenda J. Buck, Dirk Goossens, Brett Mclaurin, Lacey Murphy, Mallory Leetham-Spencer, Yuanxin Teng, James E. Pollard, Russell Gerads, Jamie C. Dewitt

Geoscience Faculty Research

Systemic health effects from exposure to a complex natural dust containing heavy metals from the Nellis Dunes Recreation Area (NDRA) near Las Vegas, NV, were evaluated. Several toxicological parameters were examined following lung exposure to emissive dust from three geologic sediment types heavily used for recreational off-road activities: yellow sand very rich in arsenic (termed CBN 5); a shallow cover of loose dune sand overlying a gravelly subsoil bordering dune fields (termed CBN 6); and brown claystone and siltstone (termed CBN 7). Adult female B6C3F1 mice were exposed by oropharyngeal administration to these three types of geogenic dusts at 0.01–100 …

Parvovirus B19 Seroprevalence In Turkish Blood Donors, Şeni̇z Göral, İdi̇l Yeni̇cesu, Gülendam Bozdayi, Aysu Duyan Çamurdan, Ayli̇n Altay Koçak

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Parvovirus risk in blood transfusion has become a popular research topic since there are limited data on parvovirus seroprevalence in blood donors in Turkey. The aim of this study was to investigate parvovirus seroprevalence in blood donors in Turkey. Materials and methods: Blood samples of 988 blood donors admitted to a university blood bank were obtained for parvovirus B19 IgM and IgG detection. The samples were analyzed using the ELISA method. Results: IgM positivity of 3.92% and IgG positivity of 58.9% was detected in the blood samples. Parvovirus IgM positivity was found to be the highest in the age …

Urban Scrawl: Satire As Subversion In Banksy's Graphic Discourse, Joshua Carlisle Harzman

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes the ways in which Banksy’s street art installations are used to critique sociopolitical injustices. The street has long existed as a platform for social and political movements. In particular, street art offers unique opportunities for voicing criticisms in pioneering ways that have been proven successful in upsetting normative power structures. Anne Theresa Demo’s analysis on the Guerilla Girls’ comic politics of subversion offers an appropriate conceptual lens to analyze Banksy’s employment of perspectives by incongruity as strategies for subversion. Therefore, this thesis analyzes how Banksy’s subversive satire is rhetorical by examining three techniques that have successfully exposed …

Vector Competence Of Northern California Mosquitoes For Dirofilaria Immitis (Spirurida: Onchocercidae), Rebekah Lynn Dian

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Dirofilaria immitis, commonly known as dog heartworm, is a dangerous filarial nematode that is transmitted by a mosquito vector. Although this parasite is historically localized to regions closer to the equator, the last few decades have experienced an increase in the amount of dog heartworm cases in Northern California, most notably in Lake and San Joaquin Counties. The primary vector of D. immitis in Northern California is Aedes sierrensis, but it is not prevalent enough in some counties to explain the increase in infections. Because of this, more prevalent and abundant species should be assessed for their ability to transmit …

Increasing Blacks' Representation And Utilization On The Bone Marrow Registry: An Action-Oriented Needs Assessment, Indria Gillespie

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action-oriented needs assessment was to ascertain the knowledge, motivation, and culture (KMC) needs of Blacks regarding joining the Be The Match bone marrow registry and participating in the bone marrow donation process. This needs assessment will be utilized to lay the foundation for an educational and research based nonprofit organization, Angels In Disguise, that I developed. This study will also be used to inform the bone marrow registry of the KMC needs of the Blacks who participated in this study. The data collection came from nine observations, four post-observation surveys, five donor interviews, two prototype development …

Evaluation Of New Antimalarial Drug Combinations, Robert Tyrone Higginbotham

Honors Theses

Malaria is a disease that has affected people throughout the world for centuries and is still responsible for over 200 million clinical cases per year. While a number of developed countries have eradicated the disease, its prevalence in tropical regions poses a significant global health challenge. The disease is caused by the Plasmodium genus, an obligate, intracellular parasite that is carried by the female Anopheles mosquito. While there are effective antimalarial drugs in clinical use, Plasmodium's resilient nature has allowed it to develop resistance to multiple drugs. This fact makes it imperative to seek out novel drugs to combat resistant …

Prevalence Of Hla-B*5701 In A Kenyan Population With Hiv Infection, Reena Shah, H. Nabiswa, Nancy Okinda, Gunturu Revathi, Mark Hawken, Nelson M.

Internal Medicine, East Africa

We read with interest the article published in your Journal entitled “Real-world persistence with antiretroviral therapy for HIV in the United Kingdom: a multicentre retrospective cohort study”1 which concluded that treatment discontinuation attributable to toxicity profile is not an uncommon event. They also acknowledged lack of data collection on HLA-B*5701 status, which would heavily influence initial ART regimen and the choice to discontinue medication. Of the 25.6 million living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in Africa, an estimated 1.6 million people live in Kenya.2 With an HIV prevalence of 5.6%, Kenya has upscaled HIV treatment and care in the past …

Diet, Physical Activity, And Healthy Aging In People Living With Hiv, Josh Newson Muhammad

All ETDs from UAB

As life expectancy for people living with HIV (PLWH) has increased, healthy aging in this community has become an emerging public health concern. Although the benefits of adopting healthy diets and regular physical activity are well-documented, implementing strategies for lifestyle modifications among older PLWH remains a challenge. The complex milieu of social, physiological and economic burdens encountered by PLWH exposes this population to increased risk for adverse health outcomes, especially from preventable metabolic diseases. The interaction of diet, physical activity and social determinants of health in persons who are HIV positive is an understudied area. The aim of this dissertation …

Reaching Consensus On Global Health Nursing Competencies For Baccalaureate Nursing Education In The United States: A Delphi Method Study, Herica Maria Torres-Alzate

All ETDs from UAB

The purpose of this study was to reach consensus among experts on global health competencies for baccalaureate nursing students in the United States. A Nursing Global Health Competencies Framework (NGHCF) was created to guide identification of the domains and competencies for BSN nursing education. A three-round modified Delphi study intersected with a mixed methods research approach to reach consensus from experts in global health on essential global health competencies in nursing. The first phase revised the original list of competencies based on: (a) qualitative responses to the surveys conducted by Wilson et al. (2012), Ventura et al. (2014), and Warren …

Endothelialization Of Microchannels In A Three Dimensional Breast Cancer Tumor Surrogate Model, Derek Van Vessem

All ETDs from UAB

Drug discovery and testing commonly employs two dimensional (2D) human cell line monolayers for lead compound identification before becoming a candidate therapy to be studied in animal models. Culturing cells in 2D produces a homogenous disbursement of nutrients and anticancer-therapeutics resulting in a response specific to 2D that does not necessarily translate to a three dimensional (3D) response. This method unfortunately distorts the in vivo human drug response. The lack of physiologic dimensionality in 2D cell monolayers distort cellular responses relative to 3D systems that can be attributed to minimal drug approvals. Oncology drugs are the least successful with only …

Social Factors, Public Policies, And Infant Mortality, Lauren Wallace

All ETDs from UAB

Despite consistent and substantial investments, the United States’ infant mortality rate (IMR) has not decreased significantly in the 21st century and disparities between racial and ethnic groups have increased. This study investigates the impact of social and health factors, and public policies on IMR at the state level. The research aims were to: 1) evaluate which state-level social factors and public policies were associated with state IMRs using principal component (PC) analysis; and 2) evaluate whether states cluster on their PC scores and IMRs using cluster analysis. The data used were six composite index scores based on social factor and …